Free safety is rehabbing, hoping to re-sign with Falcons

Falcons free safety Damontae Kazee is recovering nicely from his Achilles surgery and said he will be ready to go by training camp.

“Everything is going good right now,” Kazee told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday. “I’m taking it a day at a time.”

The hard-hitting Kazee was injured in the second quarter of the fourth game of the season, against Green Bay on Oct. 5.

“I don’t want to push things or nothing, but from rehabbing-wise, I’m running now,” Kazee said. “I’m on treadmills now. I’m doing jumps now. I’m doing everything I’ve been doing. That’s a blessing.”

Kazee, who could become a free agent March 17, is in a good space.

“My mind is right, you know,” Kazee said. “I’m enjoying life. I couldn’t ask for any better chance than I had this past season, even though I got hurt. But it was still good enough to be around my family and my son.”

He doesn’t know what the future holds.

“Other than that, I’m just waiting to see, hopefully come back to Atlanta,” Kazee said. “If not, I can go and play somewhere else, it doesn’t matter. I just want to get back on the football field.”

Kazee, who was a fifth-round pick out of San Diego State in 2017, is at the six-month mark of his rehab.

He played in 16 games and made one start as a rookie. In 2018, he took over at free safety after Ricardo Allen was injured and ended up tying for the NFL lead with seven interceptions.

In 2019, he started 14 of 16 games and had three interceptions and 74 tackles.

“I’ll be really ready when camp starts,” Kazee said. “I’m ahead right now. I had all of this time to get prepared.”

Kazee has studied the new coaching staff and defensive coordinator Dean Pees, so he’s aware of his work with the Patriots, Ravens and Titans.

“I did my homework on them to see what type of scheme he runs and the way he does things,” Kazee said. “I like it. I think it would be a great fit for me.”

The Falcons currently have one safety on the roster, rookie Jaylinn Hawkins, and he’s a strong safety.

Kazee, Keanu Neal and Sharrod Neasman are set to become free agents.